Things that go Creak in the night
by that's my piranha
Summary: A little one shot with Lily and James. Why are these two characters out at 2.30 in the morning? What will happen if they crash into each other quiet literally? My version of how they may have gotten together...


**Things that go Creak in the night…**

Well here we go! This is just a little story I started for no real reason! Decided I kinda liked it though… Well anyway this story is for the greatest friends a girl could ever have: Stuf, Sam, Dod, Colsey, Issy, Hannah and Jordie. Specially Stuf (who inspired me to write this story) and Jordie (cause she's leaving. Gonna miss you Jordie!)

Disclaimer: Don't own this stuff ok? Just so you get it.

This is just a one shot about how James and Lily could've got together. Enjoy! All Reviews are welcome! Good or bad.

(NOTE: Just a short note to say that I have been having a bit of keyboard trouble and my 'I' hasn't been working very well. I did go through and check, but I apologise if I missed any 'I's. Thanks!)

Lily Evans hurried through the Hogwarts castle corridors. She stopped as she reached a corner and she quickly turned her head both ways in search of teachers. She was nervous out of her mind… this wasn't like her! She never thought that she Perfect Prefect Lily Evans, a good rule abiding student would be sneaking around in the dark, well after curfew. In the dark! She shuddered. _Just don't think about it!_ She told herself. _Just keep walking…_

She reached another corner and once again looked in both directions her eyes searching for teachers roaming the school corridors. It really wasn't her fault that she was out so late anyway. Shed been in the library studying and had completely lost track of the time! Ancient Runes could do that to you, it really was a fascinating subject!

…_Creak…_

Lily froze. Silence… Lily stood still as a statue; barley breathing… this was it! She'd be stripped of her prefect badge for this! She saw her life flash before her! It was all over! And then she stopped… Lily strained her ears to hear, but heard… nothing. Silence. At that moment Lily would've jumped for joy if she hadn't been afraid of making to much noise. Then she realised… she was standing alone, in nothing but darkness. Lily shivered. Just keep walking, she told herself and without another moments thought she lowered her head and walked as quickly and as quietly as she could in the direction of Gryffindor tower.

James Potter strolled down a deserted corridor, not going anywhere in particular. He put his hands deep into his pockets and gave a contented sigh. James had always liked the school at night. Wether it be when he and Sirius were out causing mischief or he was taking a moonlight stroll such as he was tonight. It was peaceful. He could often think much more clearly at night than he could during the day, so that's what he did. He just walked and would think. James stopped as he passed a window looking out over the lake. James looked over the grounds. They looked beautiful tonight. Never had he seen such a clear sky, not a single cloud littered the array of stars he saw before him. He watched as a dragonfly buzzed up from the lake and over towards the window James stood at, before changing direction and flying of into the night. How he wished he could be that dragonfly. So carefree, not caring were it went and what it did, just being one with the perfect night to which it belonged… James thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

...Creak…

James froze and looked down at his watch. 2.30 am.

"That's strange." James muttered to himself. "The teachers stop patrolling just after 12."

James stayed still for a few minutes but hearing no further sounds he began to continue strolling, thoughts of who else was up at this hour filled his head…

Lily Evans began to walk faster and faster until she was almost sprinting down the school corridors. Strange shapes and sounds filled her head, only urging her to move faster away from the darkness of the corridors and into the warm glow of the Gryffindor Common Room. She heard a sound from behind her but she was to scared to stop, to scared to find out what was really all in her imagination. Instead she turned to look over her shoulder as she ran down the corridor. Crash! Next thing she new she was colliding with someone and falling to the floor… now, now she was really scared!

James Potter wasn't really looking were he was gong, in fact he would be lucky to know what floor he was on. He was deep in thought. Who would be out at 2.30 apart from him. He thought as he walked, and then… he stopped. He was such an idiot sometimes. Here he was with a map in his pocket that showed where every person in the school was at the time and he was wondering who was up at this hour. He pulled it out of his pocket along with his wand. He looked left then right and then placed the tip of his wand on the parchment before muttering the incantation.

"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

The parchment sprang to life. Blotted ink words covered the page.

"Blah, Blah, Blah, the Marauders map!" James said to himself. Finally the words disappeared and a map covered with small dots symbolising people appeared. James looked down at the map…

"Well heres me, "he mumbled talking to himself again. "And there's…" James froze, could it really be? James shook his head before looking back down again. It was true! The Perfect Prefect and Love of his life Lily Evans was out at 2.30 in the morning. James was shocked. He looked at the little dot again, it was moving fast.

"This can't be right." James muttered. "This shows the Lily's about to run straight into me!" James looked up just in time to see a flash of red hair before he fell to the floor.

James opened his eyes slowly. _This must be a dream_ he thought to himself… He looked up to see a slightly shaken and very scared looking Lily Evans. Nope he wasn't dreaming!

James got up and dusted himself of. Who would've thought that he crash into Lily Evans in the school corridors at 2.30 in the morning. James Potter looked down at Lily. She looked nervous. James couldn't help but think how cute she looked when she was nervous and resisted the urge to tell her so, figuring shed probably hit him. James and Lily stayed in silence, neither of them new what to say. _Say something you idiot!_ James's brain screamed at him. But what should he say?

After another few seconds of silence James managed to ask. "So what you doing out so late?"

Lily looked up surprised. She didn't expect James to ask her something like that. He was usually really inconsiderate just blurting out stupid remarks he thought would impress her, but this, this was a new side to James.

"Um. Well I was in the library and lost track of the time I guess…" Lily Blushed.

James raised one eyebrow. He had never met a girl before who could get so lost in a book they stayed up half a night reading. James racked his bran. What should he do next? He was new to this. Sure he'd had girlfriends before but then he wasn't actually trying to impress them. He didn't really have to think about what to do. With Lily it was different. _Help her up you fool_! James was glad to know that at least his bran was functioning properly, even if the rest of him wasn'tJames blushed and held his hand out to Lily.

"Err… Um… You need some help?" James mentally hit himself. Why did he have to sound so stupid?

Lily looked at James's hand as if it might bite her. She looked up at him. He didn't look like he was going to do anything stupid. So she hesitantly took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. As soon as she was on her feet she let go of James's hand and looked away blushing. Why did this new side of James have her feeling weak at the knees?

James blushed deeply! _ Lily Evans just held my hand! _Hs heart was dancing with joy and his stomach was dong flip flops. James looked down at his feet, only to see the marauders map lying on the floor. James quickly picked it up and stuffed it into his pocket, he hated to think what would've happened if Lily had seen it.

"So um Evans are you heading back to the common room then?" James asked breaking the silence that moments before had filled the air.

Lily nodded. She looked around. Where was she anyway? Lily shuddered at the darkness that surrounded here, although she would never admit it Lily was actually terrified of the dark. She tried to stare into the blackness but still she could not recognise were she was. She was lost. Lost in the darkness that was eating away her happy times like a dementor and leaving her with nothing but here fear and…

"Evans?" Lily gave a small jump. She had momentarily forgotten that James was there. She turned to face him.

"Well, I was just wondering but…" James paused and ran his fingers through his hair, something he often did when he was nervous. "Well I was heading back that way to, and just thought… well if you want maybe we could walk together?" James finished the last bit hurriedly.

Lily was silently relived, though she wouldn't show it to James. She'd rather be with any one in the world, even James Potter then spend another minute alone in the pitch dark halls. She slowly nodded and she could see James let out a small sigh of relief. She smiled… he was nervous, that was cu… NO! Lily Evans mentally screamed at herself! James Potter is not cute, no matter how nice he is when his not around his idiotic friends.

James ran his hands through his hair again and started walking off in the direction of the common room. _What should I do know? _He thought to himself. It was times like these that he had always dreamed of, a time when it was just him and Lily, alone, his perfect opportunity. Here he was now his perfect opportunity shouting out at him to grasp at it with both hands and never let go, and yet he was hesitant. He was scared. He James Potter, one of the infamous marauders was scared of making a fool of himself in front of a girl! This sort of thing just didn't happen to him! He was never scared! He took on a fully grown werewolf every full moon and yet he couldn't even talk to Lily Evans properly when they were alone together! This was…

…Creak…

Lily spun round to look. There really was something there! It wasn't in her imagination! Without realising Lily reached out and grabbed onto James's hand. James looked down and blushed… _Lily Evans is holding my hand ag_…NO! There's no time for this! James followed Lily's gaze down to the end of the corridor. He could see flickering shadows coming closer and closer! They had no time to run… there only chance was... James quickly turned to Lily.

"Promise you wont tell anyone about this." He whispered in her ear.

"What?" Lily hissed back her eyes frantic. What could James be thinking about at a time like this?

"Just promise!" James insisted glancing frantically back down the corridor at the fast approaching shadows.

"Alright I promise!" Lily hissed back at him, her hand still in James's.

Quick as a flash James had pulled his invisibly cloak out of his pocket and draped it over them. He kept it in his pocket for just such emergences as this.

Lily squeaked, before James hurriedly put his hand over her mouth. Afraid of her making any louder noises.

"They may not be able to see us now but they can hear us" he whispered softly in her ear, before removing his hand from covering her mouth. Lily started in wonder, at the cloak that surrounded her. It was amazing. Lily had never seen an invisibility cloak before, she'd read about them though. They were supposed to be really rare. Lily turned to question James abut how he had in his possession, but as she was about to speak James put a finger to his lips, signifying silence before pointing towards the end of the corridor, Lily turned to look just as two dark figures turned into the corridor. James's grip tightened around Lily's hand as he recognised the figures. Malfoy and Snape were heading towards them.

Lily looked down when she felt James's hand tighten around her own. It was for the first time that she noticed he was holding her hand. Normally Lily would've removed her hand from his quickly, and turned away from him, but instead, she decided to stay as they were after all, he made her feel safe.

James was curious, what were Malfoy and Snape doing out at this hour? James strained his ears to hear what they were saying…

"Yes Potter and Black have been laying low for a while, can't help but think there up to something." Malfoy said to Snape, not Bothering to be quiet.

"Probably trying to impress that stinking mudblood girl, by showing her he's 'Matured'," Sanpe whined flipping a piece of his greasy hair back behind his ear, and out of his face.

James was furious, how dare they speak of Lily like that. He was about to rush straight at them, when he felt a tight squeeze on his hand.

"Leave it James," Lily hissed. All the same though, she could feel tears beginning to fill her eyes. No matter how much she tried to pretend it didn't, it really did hurt. Lily let go of James's hand to wipe away the tears that she could not contain.

James waited till Malfoy and Snape had passed down the corridor and out of sight again. James pulled the cloak of them.

"Lily, why didn't you let me… Lily are you crying?" James said, his eyes growing wide. Lily tried to wipe the tears away hurriedly, but James stopped her. "You are Lily! It's what they said isn't it? Well don't you worry abut it Lily. They think there better then you just because they're pure bloods, but it's not true. It's not true at all. Just because you haven't got pure blood, doesn't mean your any worse then them, infact I think it makes you better." James smiled down at her. Lily had never heard James talk to any one like that before. He could sound so sweet when he wanted to. She liked that about him…

"Thanks James," She whispered. She slipped her hand back into James's and smiled at him. James smiled back at her, squeezing her hand slightly. They stood for a few minutes, and just started at each other. Just looking at each other and smiling.

"Um… we should probably go back the common room know." James said, giddy with happiness.

"Um… yeah, guess we should." Lily said. Hand in hand they headed back up to the Gryffindor common room; both deep in there own thoughts, occasionally catching each others eye and smiling briefly. Lily started around her as they walked. Somehow the shadows that surrounded her, no longer seemed so menacing. In fact she wasn't scared at all. With James there, Lily wasn't afraid of anything…


End file.
